100 themes for Avatar
by Airhead259
Summary: A series of 100 Avatar-related oneshots and drabbles.
1. Sixth Sense

_I was kinda fed up with pestering my friends for fanfic ideas (and I'm pretty sure they were fed up with me too!) so I decided to pick up 100 themes from LiveJournal and do them. _

_They'll be random, but wherever I can, I'll write a Kataang. Enjoy! _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or any of its characters._

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#35 - Sixth Sense

As a person, Aang's duty was to his people and his friends. He was loyal by nature, and always willing to help those he loved.

Unfortunately, as the Avatar, his duty was also to the world. And so, a few months after the war, he was forced to travel around the world and do his job – make peace between the nations and 'restore balance to the world'.

Of course, his job also meant he had to attend meetings. This, needless to say, did not make him very happy.

These conferences, as they were called, normally lasted for long periods of time, sometimes even a whole day. The rooms always smelled of smoke and the atmosphere was extremely formal. And worst of all, everyone besides him and Fire Lord Zuko was over the age of 40.

It was during one of these very meetings, while trying to end a dispute between two war veterans, that Aang realized just how much he missed his friends' presence.

But most of all, he missed Katara's presence.

It was something he was unable to explain. Since their last meeting at the Jasmine Dragon, he and Katara had been inseparable. Upon their separation, he had felt like a part of him had gone along with her.

And it didn't end there. Sometimes he would get visions of her teaching some children how to waterbend, or simply doing her chores. He could almost feel her, as if she were right beside him….

With a great effort, Aang shook his head and managed to shun these thoughts. For now, he had two quarreling generals to take care of.

_An hour later…_

After a few conspicuous jabs in the side from the Fire Lord, the Avatar awoke only to find everyone in the room staring at him, irritated looks covering their haggard faces. He sat up abruptly, knocking over a glass of water in the process. It fell to the ground with a tinkling crash.

All eyes were on him, waiting for his response to their latest political suggestion.

"Um, would you mind going over that again?" He asked, grinning sheepishly.

A collective groan echoed throughout the room.

0000000000

Katara stopped in her tracks and immediately spun around, preparing herself for an attack.

No one was there. It was just her and Sokka in the large tent, along with a fire crackling in the fire pit.

"That's funny, I could've sworn…" She was cut off by her brother.

"Hey, what's up, sis? Something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No, it's just…did you hear that crash? It sounded like a glass breaking."

He stared at her in a strange way. "You must be hearing things." He finally managed to say after a few seconds of silence. "No one uses glasses at the South Pole. It must've been your imagination."

"I don't know…" She glanced around the room skeptically. "Are you sure you didn't see anything?"

Sokka sighed. "Positive. Now stop being paranoid."

"What can I say? I got it from you, dearest brother." Her grin widened upon seeing the annoyed expression on his face. Then, before he could object, she turned around and walked out of their tent.

0000000000

_A year later…_

He was finally on his way back to the South Pole – all the world issues had finally been resolved and the nations were settling back into peace. He would get to see his family again. 'It's been so long,' he mused. 'I wonder if they'll recognize me…'

Actually, Aang's real problem was to NOT be recognized. He wanted to sneak in and surprise Sokka and Katara, without stirring up too much excitement. After all, he was the Avatar; it was only obvious that he would have a fan club.

As Appa neared the South Pole, Aang marveled at the improvised Water Tribe. It was much larger than he remembered and it had a great outer wall surrounding tents clustered together to form a cozy village. It was definitely not as grand as the Northern Water Tribe, but this suited him much better.

He covered himself with a dark blue cloak, pulling the hood over his head to hide his arrow, and set out into the village. As he wandered through the marketplace, no one seemed to acknowledge his presence. 'Imagine what they would've done if they knew I was here.' He muttered to himself.

--

It didn't take much effort to find her – she was practicing her bending. He could tell somehow. He found her sitting on an icy ledge overlooking the ocean, absently streaming the water as she watched the sunrise.

Sneaking up behind her, he kneeled down behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Katara," he whispered.

She turned her head abruptly to look at him. A smile made its way onto her face and she melted into his arms. He hugged her back tightly.

"I knew you were coming…"she murmured. "I could feel it."

He pulled away slightly and raised an eyebrow.

"Don't look at me like that!" She chuckled. He grinned at her.

They turned towards the horizon and lay down next to each other, watching the sky as it slowly faded into a deep indigo.

"I've felt it too, you know," he muttered. He turned on her side to face him as he did the same. "While I was travelling, I sometimes had visions of you waterbending, or going to the market, or just having a great time with your family."

He paused. "It's like there's this strong bond between us that lets us be together, even when we're so far apart…it feels nice sometimes, you know?"

She hummed softly in response. After a few seconds of silence, she asked, "Is that how you found me today? You had a vision?" She smirked lightly.

He nodded and scooted closer. "Call it a sixth sense," he replied, smiling softly.


	2. Colourless

_Before we continue with this chapter, there's something I'd like to point out. My last chapter got 59 hits, but only 2 people reviewed. Now, I'm not begging for reviews or anything, since I really hate it when people do that. I'm just saying that, if you already took a few minutes out of your day to look at it, why not take an extra few seconds to review as well? I love reading comments from you guys and they motivate me to update faster. And if you give me constructive crit, it helps me improve!  
__I'm not forcing anyone to comment - I'd just appreciate if you did :)_

_And thank you to King Simba II and razzledazzle41191 for reviewing! You really made my day!_

_Now, on to the next chapter._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar._

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#20 - Colourless

Toph's POV

Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I wasn't blind.

Sure, I wouldn't be the world's greatest earthbender, and I'd probably still be cooped up at home, heavily guarded like the 'fragile little princess' my parents think I am.

But there are a lot of positive points…

For starters, I'd be able to see! I mean, come on, what blind person DOESN'T want to be able to see? That would be amazing, of course.

Second, people wouldn't treat me differently. My friends know I'm alright on my own, but no one else does. They're just like my parents – "Make way for her –she's blind!" or "I'm sorry, let me help you. Life must be sooo difficult when you're blind." Well it's not. I can take care of myself, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I can see with my earthbending most of the time, but when it comes to wood or ice, I'm just like any other blind person. That's another thing. Although I hate to admit it…when my feet the ground or any earth, I'm completely helpless. When we were in the desert, for example – I couldn't see anything! It was kinda scary. And there was the time when Zuko burned my feet. That's when I felt _pretty_ pathetic.

There's something else though; something I've never shared with anyone.

Y'know when people look at paintings and say, "Look at the colours! It's so beautiful…" Yeah, I think you get what I mean. I feel vibrations with my feet, so I can tell where things are and their general shape. But that doesn't mean I 'see' in colour.

I've always wanted to watch a sunrise or sunset – from what I've heard, they're pretty amazing. Unfortunately for me, I'll never get close to seeing one. Oh well, that's the price that comes with being blind.

Of course, I never would have learned to listen to the earth if I could see; that means I wouldn't have been able to metalbend! And I never would've met Aang, Sokka and Katara. They're the only ones who understand me. As far as I'm concerned, that's all I've ever wanted.


	3. Broken

_Sorry for my lack of updates, I wasn't feeling very...motivated._

_So this is a drabble - a really short drabble based on Aang burning his glider at the start of Season 3. _

_The next one will be a Kataang, and it'll be long too, I promise. But for now, enjoy!  
_

_Disclaimer - Mike and Brian own Avatar, and I don't._

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#71 - Broken

"Hey, what's this?"

Toph pulled something out of the water that looked like a piece of mangled driftwood. But they all knew what it really was.

"…oh, it's your glider…"

It was broken. Completely destroyed beyond recognition. And it wasn't the only thing – Aang's heart almost shattered when he saw the one artifact that had connected him to his past in such a state.

He almost cried as he took it from her, grasping it gently almost as if it might crumble into dust if he wasn't careful. Tears began to well up in his eyes.

'_No,'_ he thought, _'I have to be strong for my friends. My family.'_

He stood up with much effort, taking the object with him.

"It's okay." He announced solemnly. "If someone saw it, it would give away my identity." As much as it pained him to admit it…he had to keep himself hidden.

He jumped onto a ledge that was close to a river of lava that coursed down the mountain. Looking sadly at it for the last time, Aang twirled his glider and thrust it into the fiery stream, where it stood, slowly being engulfed in flames. He returned to his friends without looking back; unable to watch as its ashes were released into the air.

The staff was gone. And, although no one realized it, so was a part of Aang's soul.

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_Reviews and constructive crit appreciated! Tell me what you think I should work on improving :)_


	4. Strangers

_This has to be the longest thing I have ever written, and it took ages. But I'm so happy with it!_

_I was tempted to post this as a separate story as well (just for fun :P) but I'm not sure if I need to._

_So, this is to make up for the last two drabble chapters. Enjoy! (oh, and just so you know, this is an AU)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar._

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#25 - Strangers

She ran, increasing her pace to get away from the place she called home for 17 years. Cars, fences and trees sped past her in a blur as she continued to run, not daring to look back. She didn't care what happened anymore, didn't care whether they noticed she was gone or not. All she wanted was to get away from that place.

From all the memories.

Eventually, as her legs began to give way, she dragged herself across the cobbled pathways of a small park and settled herself on a bench beneath a tree. The overhanging branches were bare and glittered with frost. Mounds of snow were visible around her, melting in the faint winter sunlight. They glistened proudly, but she didn't notice. She didn't want to. All she could think about was the news she had received but a few minutes ago.

'Why do these things always happen to me?' She thought. 'Mother left me so many years ago…and just when someone was beginning to fill the void - she had to be taken too! It's not fair…'

She sobbed, burying her face in her hands as tears began to slide down her cheeks. 'I don't deserve this - I've never done anything wrong in my entire life!' she cried.

She continued to cry for a few minutes, not caring that she was in public, and that people were watching her. After letting out her emotions, she collected herself and wiped away her tears. Then, lifting herself off the bench, she walked calmly out of the park. Once she was outside, she looked around to see where she was. This area was not very familiar to her – she had been running for quite a long time and for quite a distance too.

Just then, her azure eyes fell upon a quaint coffee shop nestled between some buildings. It looked old fashioned and quite cozy. She rubbed her arms, suddenly realizing how cold it was, and began to make her way towards it.

'I could use a cup of coffee in this weather,' she mused. 'And it might make me feel a little better.'

----------

The shop was much larger than it looked from outside. The décor was very traditional – there was a serving counter with glass cases displaying little cakes and other pastries. Old newspaper cuttings in frames hung on the walls and antique fans clung to the ceilings, making the whole place seem like a flash from the past. Little wooden tables sat here and there, each surrounded by a few chairs. She took a seat at a table in the far corner of the room, where she could be alone with her thoughts, and no one would notice her.

Or so she thought.

Once she had ordered a cup of coffee (and a small chocolate muffin), she sat back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling. She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice someone approaching her table.

This 'someone' had been observing her ever since she had sat down at the corner table. Watching from his place leaning against the wall near the doorway, he had noticed something off about her ever since she entered. After considering the situation, he decided to confront her.

She was still staring at the ceiling when a soft 'ahem' snapped her out of her thoughts. She lowered her head only to see a young man standing in front of her table. He wore a faded sweatshirt and jeans that seemed too big for him. His gray eyes peeked out from underneath a mop of messy black hair. He was smiling faintly.

"Excuse me…may I?" he asked politely, gesturing towards the empty chair opposite her. She didn't reply for a few moments; lost in his gaze. Only when he coughed again did she realize what she was doing. Blushing faintly, she muttered a quick 'sure, whatever' before looking away from him.

Although she didn't see it, his grin grew slightly wider. He replied with a soft 'thank you' and took a seat upon the chair, now reaching her eye level. However, she wasn't looking at him – she was focusing on her hands now clasped together in her lap.

There was an awkward moment of silence before he decided to speak.

"So…what's your name…?"

She glanced up at him again. He was still watching her intently.

"…it's Katara." she replied finally.

"Katara," he repeated. "That's a, uh, nice name."

She offered him a small grin before returning her gaze to her lap.

Another moment of silence.

Eventually, he heaved a sigh. _'I have to ask her sooner or later…'_

"Okay, I know this might sound awkward coming from someone you've never met before, but, uh, there's I think there's something bothering you."

She didn't reply, so he continued.

"I noticed when you entered and I wondered if you'd, um, like to talk about it or something. Because…sometimes the best way to stop something from bothering you is to talk to someone about it. Right?" he finished.

No response.

"You can talk to me if you want to. Sometimes strangers can be the best people to talk to."

Still no response.

He sighed again. He had to help her somehow. Suddenly, an idea hit him.

"How about I tell you a story?" he offered.

She looked up once again. There was a sparkle in his eyes that she hadn't noticed before. She finally decided to go along with it and nodded. He grinned.

"This is a story about a young boy," he began. "He had everything he ever wanted – a big house, all the things he could ever want and more, and people who loved him."

He paused to study her reaction. She was listening intently, head propped up on her arms as she watched him, waiting to hear more.

"He was a good kid," he continued. "He always behaved, never got into fights, and most of all, he appreciated life. Everything was fine until he turned five. Then, his whole life changed."

His eyes darkened, and he lowered his gaze to the table top.

"One night, there was a fire in his house. No one knew how it started, but it was destroying the whole place. The boy's grandfather managed to find him in time and they both got out safely, but no one else did."

He looked up again and Katara saw a different emotion in his eyes.

"His parents didn't survive. And the whole house was burnt down. He lost everything that night."

"Well, almost everything." He added as an afterthought, smiling faintly. "The kid still had his grandpa. And now, although they knew that a life of hardship now awaited them, they weren't scared. Because they knew that had each other."

The young man stopped narrating. Katara watched him. He seemed a little sad. But somehow, she got the feeling that the story wasn't over.

"Go on," she urged him.

He started up again. "A kind hotel owner gave them a place to stay, and in return, the boy worked for him – setting tables, waiting on people, stuff like that. His grandfather was already pretty old though. He passed away a few years later, when his grandson turned ten."

Another expression of sadness covered his face, but he continued.

"The boy was all alone now. A street child with no one to go to. But no matter how bad his life seemed to be, he always looked at the positive side. A lot of people who visited the hotel noticed this aspect in him and began to talk to him about their problems. No matter how harsh the troubles were, he always saw a positive side. He could cheer anyone up."

"Soon, everyone in the hotel, as well as everyone living in the same block knew about him. They called him the 'sunshine boy'. The kid who could brighten up anyone's day."

She continued to watch him. He had now resorted to staring at the table again, but now a small smile graced his features.

"He had another talent too – he was an artist. One day, when he was drawing during his lunch break, a rich man came up to him, looked at his works, and bought one of them for a large sum of money. He was overjoyed. He decided to make art a source of income, and was successful."

He stopped again, and this time it looked like he was done.

"That was a wonderful story," she stated truthfully. "Is it true?" He nodded.

"So…where is he now?"

"He still lives on the same block, which, incidentally, happens to be the one we're on now. Still drawing and selling his works for a living…"

"Oh."

They were finally silent again, but at least this time, it wasn't awkward.

"I'd like to meet him sometime," Katara said after a few moments. "Would you introduce me to him?"

Before he could respond, a waitress, who seemed to be in her mid-30s, came up to their table. She served Katara her coffee and snack. Just before leaving the table, she suddenly noticed the boy sitting there.

"Hey, Sunshine! It's been a while since you visited. Happy birthday, by the way."

He perked up immediately. "Cara! You remembered!

"I could never forget you, kid. Gimme a sec, I'll be right back with an espresso." "On the house." she added with a smile.

As she walked away, Katara's eyes widened. No, it couldn't be…

"Wait," she began uncertainly, "She called you…you're…that boy…"

He cut her off, smirking lightly. "The name's Aang." He extended an arm over the table and she hesitantly reached over and shook it gently. "I'm an artist."

She shook her head. "No way…"

He smiled before pulling something out of a duffel bag he had carried along with him. He handed it to her. It was a sketchbook containing impressive sketches of people and structures. Katara marveled at the detail he had put into each picture.

She looked up for a moment. "Aang, these are amazing!" He murmured a small 'thank you' in response.

"But, how can you always be so cheerful?" she asked him. "You've lost so much…anyone would expect you to be depressed."

"I know," he replied. "But I always remind myself that life goes on. You can't dwell on things that have already happened, Katara. You'll never move forward that way."

She nodded solemnly.

"…my grandmother." She said sadly. "That's why I've been so down. I received news that she died today, in hospital. She was very ill."

Her hand, which was now resting on the table, was suddenly covered by another larger, slightly rough one. Her head shot up and she stared at him in surprise. He merely smiled.

"I'm sorry," he said in a tone that convinced her that he truly was. "You must be devastated." She nodded again.

"But still. Try to think of the positive side. At least she won't be suffering any more. And she must be in a much better place than in a musty old hospital."

Katara smiled at him.

She continued to look through his scrapbook, even when his espresso arrived. As he was sipping it slowly, he noticed that she had stopped on a particular page.

'This one is beautiful," she commented. It was a picture of an impression of the South Pole at night time, with Eskimos living in tents and igloos. The sky was littered with brilliant stars and a full moon shone brightly over the village, coating it in an ethereal glow.

He placed his mug down for a moment, and then gently took the book from her. He carefully tore the page out of it and handed the painting to her.

"What? No! I can't! It's your painting! You must've worked so hard on it!" she exclaimed, although somewhat tempted.

"I want you to have it," he said lightly. "As something to remember me by."

Her eyes moved from the picture to his face, which was covered with an expression of pure happiness. His eyes twinkled as he pushed the paper into her hands.

She accepted it and regarded it carefully again, noticing the intricate detail.

Aang gulped down the last of his coffee and sighed in contentment. Then, he slowly got up from his seat and grabbed his bag.

"Well, I should get going now. It's getting late and I should be back at the hotel to help set up for dinner."

He turned to walk away when she suddenly grabbed his arm, causing him to stop.

"Wait!" she cried. "Will I…do you think we'll meet again?"

"Of course. If you ever need someone to talk to, you'll know where to find me." He grinned.

She let go and sat down again, but not before whispering a quiet 'thank you' that only he could have heard.

"Anytime." He replied, just as quietly, before walking towards the door and opening it, making his exit.

Katara looked down at her hands, now clasped together. She smiled to herself.

"_Maybe strangers are the best people to talk to after all."_

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_There ya go! Some Kataang friendship for you! I'm sorry I couldn't make it more fluffy, but that's about all I could handle with this fic - it is a little sad after all._

_Please review! I'd love to hear your opinion!_


	5. Home

_It's been a while since I updated! I haven't had much time to write lately, with real life invading and such. _

_I don't like this one much. I dunno, there's something about it...it's probably very cliche. Which reminds me - a LOT of these are going to be really, really cliche. Please don't mind! :P_

_SO here we go._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar._

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#90 - Home

For a long time, Katara considered the Southern Water Tribe her home. She had lived there all her life, so it was only natural. Even when her mother was killed and her father left to fight in the war, reducing the size of their family, her sentiments remained the same.

But everything changed when she met Aang.

Travelling around the world, she saw and experienced things she could never have imagined. She learned waterbending, helped save the world and, most importantly, she made many new friends.

It wasn't until after the war, when they were returning to the South Pole, that she began to wonder where her home really was. After all, she had travelled all around the world, and not thought about her family much. Perhaps she had begun to consider somewhere else as her home…

'It's not in Omashu,' she thought to herself, while flying atop the giant sky bison. 'It's not in Ba Sing Se or at the Western Air Temple. And it's _definitely _not anywhere in the Fire Nation.' Eventually she managed to convince herself that she was just overreacting, and that her opinion hadn't changed at all.

But once they touched down upon the icy shores of the Southern Water Tribe, she realized the truth.

As she slid down the large creature's back and touched the ground, she noticed something different. The place was larger of course, as Master Pakku had modernized it, with the help of some other waterbenders. But everything else was the same – the people, the animals and the snow. It took her a while to notice what the problem was.

It was the atmosphere.

Her family was here – her grandmother, brother and her father, as well as members of her 'improvised' family – Toph, Aang and even Suki. But somehow, the whole environment seemed off, as if something was missing. It didn't hold the comforting aura that it used to; everything was now foreign to her.

After hugging her grandmother and her father, she was shown to their new home, made completely out of ice, but surprisingly not too cold. She collapsed on her bed and began to think about the real problem. What was it that had replaced 'home' in her heart?

For the few days during which her friends were with her, she mostly ignored them. She was so busy trying to fill the void in her mind that she completely forgot that they were leaving in a week. The days dwindled on and Katara stayed in her room during most of them, trying to run all the places she had visited through her mind.

In a weeks' time, Toph and Suki left by boat. Aang had to stay back for a few more days to help with some negotiations, and then he would be off to the Earth Kingdom.

Katara was present during her friends' sendoff, but only physically. Her mind was still running rapidly, trying to remember everything. After their departure, she finally decided to ask Aang about it.

"Maybe it's been so long since you've been here, you've forgotten what it feels like," he had replied. "It'll take a while for you to settle down. You'll probably get used to it in a few days, I'm sure."

She decided to take his advice and tried to get used to her life. However, she still felt like something was missing. She didn't get much time to talk to Aang after their conversation, since he was busy negotiating all day, so she couldn't ask him for more help.

The next few days passed by too quickly, and it was soon the eve of his departure. He was due to leave early the next morning, but Katara was still awake late at night. After a few hours, she finally fell asleep, still thinking.

-----

"_The war's over, so where will you go now, Aang?"_

"_I don't know…I guess I'll have to travel the world to make sure everyone's settled."_

"_Oh…aren't you coming with us? To the South Pole?"_

"_I would but…the world is in chaos after 100 years, Katara, and it's my fault. I have to try to fix my mistakes."_

"…_you'll come back to visit, won't you? We're you're family; you're welcome anytime."_

"_Of course. I could never leave you guys." _

-----

She awoke, panting heavily. She knew.

Jumping out of bed, she dashed out of her house without a second thought.

"I just hope I'm not too late…"

-----

Aang had just said his goodbyes to everyone present, and was about to board his bison, when a shout of 'WAIT!' stopped him. He turned around, only to see a girl in blue running towards him.

"Katara? What…" He didn't get to finish the statement, since the girl pulled him into a tight hug.

"I'm coming with you." She said simply once they had pulled apart.

"Katara…" he began, sounding tired. "You know you can't leave your family. This is your home."

"No it's not." She replied. He stared at her with a look of confusion and disbelief. She sighed and continued.

"Ever since we came back, I've noticed something different about this place. You told me the feeling would pass, but it hasn't. And now, I've realized why."

Katara looked up at him. His expression was the same, but traces of a smile had begun to appear on his face. She continued.

"I know now where my home is. It's not here, in the South Pole."

She smiled. "It's with you."

Aang stared at her. Her smile faltered. Thinking she had made a mistake, she looked down.

He placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to slowly look up at him again. To her surprise, he was smiling.

"I would be so glad if you could come with me, Katara," he said warmly. "But your father and brother…"

"They approve." Aang's statement was cut off by Sokka himself, who was making his way down the icy slopes, Hakoda right behind him.

"Katara, go with Aang," said her brother. "I know you'll be much happier travelling with him than you will be if you're cooped up here." They all chuckled at his words.

"Sokka's right," said Hakoda, while looking to his daughter. "All I want is for my daughter to be happy, and if she is happy travelling with the Avatar, so be it."

Tears stung at Katara's eyes and she ran over to her father to give him a hug. She hugged Sokka as well before returning to Aang's side.

"Avatar Aang." Hakoda addressed the young man. "I know you will protect her."

"With my life," Aang replied, smiling. The chief nodded and wished them a safe journey as the two clambered onto the bison's back. With a soft 'yip-yip', they took off into the sky.

Katara leaned against the front of the saddle, watching Aang as he steered Appa.

"So, where to next?" she asked him gently.

He let go of the reins for a moment to glance at the map in front of him.

"We'll need to head to Omashu first to settle some minor issues," he responded. "And then we'll go to Ba Sing Se and help restore order there. Is that okay?"

She nodded slowly, content.. "As long as I'm with you." she sighed.

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_Like I said, I'm not very happy with this chapter, so if you know how I can improve, feel free to reviewpls :)_


	6. What?

_Remember how I said that I hated the last chapter? Well, after re-reading it (and, of course, all of your positive comments ^_^), I kinda actually liked it _

_But it's THIS chapter I hate. There's just a bit in the middle that I like, but nothing more. I just uploaded it for practice and to finish off this theme. It doesn't really fit, but eh._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar._

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#77 - What?

A lazy Saturday morning found four children huddled around a wooden board, anticipation evident in their expressions. Sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the small, mostly empty room.

The first was a young boy, the host to this 'party', sporting a baggy orange t-shirt and jeans. His dark hair hung over his face, hiding storm-cloud eyes.

The second, the eldest of the group, was a tanned boy wearing mostly blue. He stared at the board with one eyebrow raised.

The third was a girl with stunning blue eyes that could rival a clear ocean. She wore blue, like her brother, as well as a small grin as she watched expectantly.

Finally, there was the young blind girl, seemingly staring into space. She seemed innocent enough in her pale green dress, but those close to her knew her to be just the opposite.

They (except the blind one) lifted their gazes to the younger boy, who began to speak.

"It's simple really. We all pick a character and get a copy of this script." He indicated a wad of papers in his hand. "Then once someone lands on a space corresponding to an episode, the people playing the characters have to act the scene out."

"Hmm," the older boy wondered aloud. "It seems simple enough, I guess."

"Sure is! You guys got it?" They all nodded. "Great! We pick characters first."

There was shuffling as they all reached out for a counter. Once they had all picked, they held up the silver pieces and glanced at their scripts.

"My character's Aang!" exclaimed the first boy.

"Ka...tara…" The girl in blue read. "That's me I guess!"

"I'm Sokka, apparently…," said her brother.

"What about me?" The last girl asked. The older girl picked up her script.

"You're…Toph." She read aloud.

"Pfft. What's with these names, Twinkletoes? They're weird!"

'Aang' shrugged, not that she could see it anyway. Then, they all placed their counters on the starting space. Sokka was the first to roll the dice.

"Seven." He moved his counter and read what was written on the space. "The Cave of Two Lovers."

His sister sighed. "That sounds soooo romantic…you're so lucky, um, Sokka."

He scowled and flipped the pages of his script until he reached the right one. A smirk began to make its way onto his face.

"Well sis, it seems like _you're_ the lucky one." He continued to turn the pages. "Hey, I'm not even in this scene! Stupid game…" He muttered.

"Wait, what did you say?" she asked.

"I said you're in this scene, _Katara_." He smirked. "And judging by this script, you'll be getting your romance too."

She grabbed her own copy and began to search for the page. Her eyes widened as she looked over to the boy in orange seated next to her. He had also opened his script to the same page and was staring at it, a brilliant blush visible on his face.

"Um, we have to…to…" the words died at her lips.

"Yeah…" the boy replied, tugging at his collar.

"What? What's going on?" Toph yelled. Sokka leaned over and whispered in her ear, and soon a smirk was appearing on her face as well.

"Ah, I see. So Twinkletoes and Sugar Queen have to _kiss_, eh?"

The two blushed, feeling extremely self-conscious.

"Come on, you two, it's in the script!"

"Yeah! Don't be such spoil sports!"

"But we…we can't…" the girl stammered, but it was to no effect.

"If it makes you feel any better sis, I approve." Her brother said smugly. This, however, only served to deepen the colour in their cheeks.

Katara turned to look at her friend, who was equally red in the face, if not more.

"It can't be too bad, right?" he stated weakly. "We're just acting, after all."

"Y-yeah…"

Sokka clapped his hands together. "Great! Now let's begin."

He began to read from the script.

_The cave was pitch dark, the only light source a fading torch within their joined hands…_

"Okay, we're gonna need atmosphere." He closed the curtains and grabbed a flashlight off the desk. He handed it to Aang, who switched it on.

"Hello? You're both supposed to hold it. _Together_." Blushingly, Katara placed her hand over Aang's on the flashlight.

"Now, say your lines! ACTION!" yelled Sokka.

"_We're gonna run out of light any second now, aren't we‌?" whispered Aang._

"_I think so," replied Katara, just as quietly._

_The moved closer to each other as the light slowly began to fade. _"Hey, don't really turn it off, I want to see this!"

"_What'll we do then?" he asked softly. _

"_What can we do? Except…"_

_They were only inches away…_

He was moving closer to her, unable to believe that this was happening. His palms grew sweaty as the distance between them began to disappear…

Little did he know that the girl in front of him was experiencing a similar reaction. Her heart was hammering in her chest. She could feel his breath, coming in short puffs, on her face, and it only served to deepen her blush. They were only centimetres apart and about to…

"Kids! I've brought some snacks!" the door to the room opened and light filtered in. The children froze and let go of the torch, which fell to the ground with a loud THUD.

Gyatso switched on the light. Not bothering to notice the small space between his nephew and the other girl, he announced, "Come downstairs for a while. I've made some fruit pies that you should try." And just as quickly as he had entered, he left he room, door still ajar.

"Food! Awesome, let's go eat!" Without another word, the older boy grabbed his blind friend's hand and dragged her out the door, leaving two embarrassed kids alone in the room.

The two were still only less than an inch apart, and staring into each other's eyes. Neither of them seemed capable of breaking eye contact. Suddenly, they realised where they were.

He hurriedly took two steps backward, as did she, and cleared his throat. She just looked away.

After a while, the girl decided to look up and apologise. However, before she could say anything, the boy stepped forward and placed a kiss on her cheek.

Her eyes widened and her cheeks turned pink (for what seemed like the hundredth time today). She stared at him and he smiled back.

"Come on, let's go." He said, quietly. She nodded and he took her hand. Glancing at each other's faces, they both grinned and walked out of the room together.


	7. Dinner

_I have to say - this is one of my faves. The intro was really hard to write, but there are a lot of aspects I like about this chapter._

_And after uploading two of my not-so-favourite chapters, it's only fair that I post one that I actually like XD_

_Hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing this!_

_Disclaimer - I don't own Avatar._

* * *

#58 - Dinner

Dinner was Sokka's favourite time of day; he had an excuse to eat a lot and no one would object. Besides, people always seemed to make the most extravagant food at that time. He could never pass up an offer for a free feast.

Which is why, when Iroh invited the improvised gang to dinner at his teashop three months after the war, he was the first person to accept the offer.

Everyone arrived at the Jasmine Dragon a few hours before sunset, so they resorted to talking and playing pai sho, all while drinking tea. Sokka immediately began to work on a group picture. One-by-one, the other members began to come over and comment on (or mostly criticize) his artwork. Eventually his sister disappeared off to somewhere, but he shrugged it off. After all, he had a painting to complete.

Finally it was time to eat. Sokka followed his girlfriend into the dining room, where he saw a huge banquet table laden with delicacies from all around the world, making his mouth water. Aang and Katara were the last to enter, which they did from the teashop balcony. Sokka decided to ask them about it later.

But someone beat him to it.

Everyone took their seats and began to eat. Zuko was already attacking a large slice of roast duck as Mai looked on, amused. Toph was slurping down her soup while Suki sipped hers daintily. Aang was tucking into a generous serving of spinach salad and bean curd puffs.

Suki decided to ask the question just as Katara was helping herself to some dumplings.

"Sooo Aang, Katara. What exactly were you guys doing out on the balcony all evening?"

Aang froze, his mouth still filled with food, and Katara dropped the dumpling she was holding.

"Wait…what?" asked Katara, still visibly stunned.

"You guys _were_ out there for a long time." Mai stated.

Aang gulped, automatically swallowing what was left in his mouth.

"We…we were just talking, that's all." He managed to stutter.

Toph scoffed. "_Please_, Twinkletoes. As far as I could tell, you two were doing anything BUT talking."

Both teens turned a bright shade of red. They glanced at each other before looking away abruptly, blushes still visible on their cheeks.

Sokka looked from Toph's smug face, to the faces of the two embarrassed teenagers. He was confused.

"Alright, what's going on here?" He asked - his voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

"Nothing!" Aang and Katara shouted in unison.

If it was possible, Toph's smirk grew wider. Katara covered her face with her hand, while Aang just sank lower in his seat. Now Sokka was annoyed.

'What are they not telling me? I need to find out somehow…'

As though Suki had read his mind, she leaned over to him and whispered "I'll tell you later."

Now satisfied, he leaned back in his chair and continued to eat. So did everyone else. _Almost._

Katara stood up after a few minutes. "I'm going upstairs." she announced. Without waiting for a response, she marched out of the room. Aang watched her as she left, saddened by her reaction.

-----

Aang opened the door, two plates of food in his hands, only to see Katara sitting near the window, staring out at the city of Ba Sing Se. He walked up to her and took a seat beside her.

"I brought you some dinner." He said, offering her one of the plates. She didn't say anything.

"You're upset with me, aren't you?" he asked.

"No I'm not, it's just…" She wrung the fabric of her dress. "Suki! And Toph! And all of them! They're so…why do they even care? It's none of their business!"

Somehow, he understood. He set the plates down and placed one hand on her shoulder, causing her to look at him.

"Since when do you care what they think? It doesn't matter what they say. What matters is that you don't take it to heart."

She sighed and nodded. They sat there in silence, looking out of the window and observing the way the moonlight illuminated each and every house.

"Do you want to go downstairs now?" he finally asked.

"Not really. Is it okay if we stay here? I find it so much more peaceful."

He nodded, smiling as he handed her a plate of food. She accepted it gratefully and they began to eat.

-----

"What's taking them so long?" Sokka asked, a few hours later.

"Let them be, Sokka." said Zuko. "They've had enough teasing for one day."

"I'll say," added Mai. She gestured towards Suki and Toph. "You two weren't ever going to leave them alone, were you?"

"You added your opinion too!" yelled Toph.

"Hey, I just stated the truth, that's all. Suki was the one that brought it up." Mai responded, earning a glare from the warrior in question. The three girls would have gotten into a fight if Iroh hadn't come along at that very moment.

"Everyone, please calm down." He said gently. "We have all had a very long day. Perhaps it is a good idea if we retire for the night."

The others nodded, suddenly realising how exhausted they really were. One by one, they dragged themselves upstairs and into the rooms they were occupying for the night.

Sokka was the last to come upstairs. He noticed that the door to Katara's room was slightly ajar. Peeking inside, he saw that both Aang and Katara had fallen asleep next to each other on their seats next to the window, Katara's head on Aang's shoulder.

He sighed. 'Looks like it's gonna be a long night.' he murmured to himself, although not without a small smile, before closing the door gently behind him.

* * *

_Hey, how 'bout a little reader/writer interactivity? Let's see if you can guess which part of this chapter is my favourite! If you're up to date, you'll at least have an idea of what I don't like about my writing :P_

_If you're right, I'll give you a virtual cookie! And maybe I'll do a Kataang request too :)_


	8. Sunset

_Apparently, my plan to stop asking people for ideas (see A/N, Chapter 1) has backfired. Now, instead of asking people for random, out-of-nowhere ideas, I ask them for THEMED ideas XD _

_Oh well..._

_Besides that, my mom has proved to be a brilliant source of ideas, so you'll probably see some of her suggestions in the later chapters._

_Anyway, I'd like to thank all my reviewers - everytime I see an email showing one of your comments, I feel so loved and honoured. Thank you!_

_So, here's the next chapter. It's kinda short, but I did say there'd be drabbles. Please continue to R&R!_

_Disclaimer - I do not own Avatar._

* * *

#32 - Sunset

A lone figure stood at the edge of a cliff, watching the sun sink into the ocean. A sigh escaped her lips as she watched the sky turn a deep crimson, the light slowly disappearing. A few stars were already visible and they twinkled high above her.

Another figure approached the cliff and stood beside her.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" She nodded.

"It's getting late. What are you doing up here?"

…just thinking. That's all."

"What about?"

She sighed again. "It's been so many years, yet I cannot forget this day. This day that used to bring me so much joy, now haunts me."

Her companion looked at her questioningly. A tear rolled down her cheek.

"Today is my mother's birthday."

The figure placed a hand upon her shoulder and turned her to look her in the eye. She let out a choked sob and he wordlessly accepted her into his arms. She began to cry.

"I feel so empty every year, on this day," she sobbed. "I miss her so much!"

He held her close and whispered into her ear. "I know what it's like to lose someone you care about, Katara. And remember, I'm always here for you. No matter what."

She pulled away and looked up at him. He smiled softly.

"Let's go inside." he whispered.

She nodded. Placing his arm around her shoulders, the Avatar led his wife back to their seaside home, as the last golden rays of the sun disappeared beneath the horizon.

* * *

_Gosh, that was random and sappy :P _

_Hope you liked it though! _


	9. Enemies

_Lol, with that huge AN last chapter, I completely forgot to mention my favourite part of Chapter 7! I think it is the conversation between Aang and Katara. I really enjoy writing them - it flows easily._

_Though you were close, HeyItsMJ - that bit is my second favourite part! And razzledazzle41191_,_ thank you for those themes! They're very inspiring :)_

_Also, I'm planning to write a Christmas fic, 'tis the season after all! (And I have a theme too!) But I need ideassss - I've already annoyed my friends so much that they want to strangle me ^_^'_

_Okay...moving on to Chapter 9_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar._

* * *

#22 - Enemies

Many things surprised Suki. And one of them was how easily her boyfriend and his sister could get into an argument over just about anything. It never mattered how pointless the topic was – they always managed to find faults with each other.

It shocked her to think how they'd managed on their own for so long.

At first, she stayed out of their spats. However, once they began to get longer and louder, she couldn't stand it anymore.

So, she decided to start intervening.

---

Sokka and Suki were on a camping trip with Katara and Aang, just to show the older girl how they lived in the 'good old days.' Unfortunately, after five years of eating what he considered normal food, Sokka found it only fit to comment on his sister's cooking.

"Not stew again! Can't you cook anything else?"

She glared at him. 'Well, why don't YOU try making dinner then, _big brother_?"

"Gladly." He took the spoon from her hand and strode over to their makeshift stove.

_Half an hour later…_

Sokka proudly placed his 'dish' in front of them. The others stared at the pile of blackened meat, disgusted.

"Um…what is it?"

"Can't you tell? It's a meat pie!" This statement only served to increase the disgust on Aang's face.

Katara stood up. "Leave it to my brother to mess up dinner," she muttered, walking over to her pot of now-cold stew.

"What?!" cried her brother.

"You heard me."

"Oh, like your stew was any better."

"At least it LOOKED edible!"

"Looks can be deceiving." He smirked. Angered, she turned away from him.

"Add something else to the list," she said after a while, mostly to herself. "It looks like drawing ISN'T the only thing you stink at, after all."

Sokka's frown deepened. "Should I take that as an insult?!" he yelled.

"I don't think I'd ever be able tell you the same thing as a compliment," she replied coldly.

"GREAT! THEN I WILL CONSIDER IT AN INSULT!"

"How PERFECT," she added in a loud, over-exaggerated voice. "Now you finally understand SARCASM!"

"Oh I'm gonna…"

Suki took this as her time to intervene.

"You two, don't get worked up over silly things like this. You're family – family sticks together, right?"

"So long as family doesn't keep INSULTING YOU," said Sokka, directing this statement to the now enraged waterbender standing behind him.

Suki sighed. She glanced up at the sky for a moment, as if pleading with the spirits to stop their fight. Suddenly, something caught her eye.

It was a full moon.

And everyone in their right mind knew NEVER to make a powerful waterbender like Katara angry on a full moon.

Everyone, that is, except Sokka.

---

Aang had been sitting quietly this whole time, watching the two siblings quarrel. He knew that it wasn't his place to intervene, despite being a peacemaker. He was smarter than that.

However, as soon as he saw Suki attempt to calm them down, he realised that he would have to stop them before things got out of hand. Also, he could practically SEE the steam coming out of Katara's ears. Sighing to himself, he stood up.

---

Just as Katara was about to respond to Sokka's comment about family, Aang came into her range of vision. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Katara, please calm down. It's a full moon tonight – you might lose control over your bending if you get too upset."

"And we both know how clueless Sokka can be about these things," he added in a whisper.

She stood silently for a few moments. No one moved. She turned to Aang, who was still watching her. Finally, she relented, letting out a sigh. He smiled.

"Let's go for a walk," he said slowly. She nodded.

Aang looked at the two adults over his shoulder. "We'll be back in a while – Katara and I need to discuss some things. Oh, and sorry about dinner, Suki."

She waved him off in response, as if to say 'ah, forget it – go enjoy your walk'. He understood and, taking his girlfriend by the hand, led her into the woods nearby.

---

Another thing that surprised Suki was how Aang was (and had always been) the only one able to calm Katara down.

'_I guess it never hurts to know the Avatar.'_


	10. Christmas

_Merry Christmas all! Some more Kataangy AU-ness for you; enjoy your holidays while I study for my exams 8(_

_No but seriously, have a good time ^_^_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar - not even for Christmas..._

_

* * *

_

#92 - Christmas

Christmas was always a special occasion for Katara and her family. Every year, they managed to make the occasion even more unique than the previous year. Aside from the simple traditions of decorating a tree or hanging up mistletoe, they would include something unusual, like a hot chocolate drinking competition, or telling stories by the fireplace.

'_And this year will be the best of them all,'_ thought Katara, with a smile as she gazed into the flames as they licked away at the burning wood. _'Unless, of course, I can't come up with anything…'_

Her smile turned into a frown as she sighed. Once again, it was Christmas Eve. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't think of anything to make the occasion more special.

She groaned and buried her head in her hands. "Why is it so hard this year?" she mumbled. "Maybe it's because I'm not as enthusiastic as usual…"

And it was true – every year before had been important to her. She had wanted to impress her grandmother, prove herself to her father and keep her brother occupied.

But now, Katara's grandmother was dead (she had been very old; after all), her father was convinced that she had talent, and Sokka had a girlfriend to keep him company.

All her motivation had now officially dissolved. She had no reason to work hard every year; as much as her father would appreciate it, Sokka probably wouldn't even be around to celebrate with them.

"Okay Katara, calm down. There's always a way. _Always._" She said to herself, taking a deep breath. "Now, I need to ask myself – what do I want for Christmas this year?" She thought for a few moments before realisation finally dawned upon her.

Almost every Christmas, something had happened to shrink their family. First, her mother died, then her grandmother, and last year, Sokka had gone out with his friends, leaving Katara and her father alone in an empty house.

She grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil and began to write.

_All I want for Christmas this year is someone to keep me company. Someone who will entertain me instead of the other way around. Someone who will cheer me up. And most of all, someone who will stay with me forever._

After reading through it again, she laughed. "It sounds like I'm asking for a boyfriend or something," she chuckled to herself.

After folding her note, she gently tossed it into the fireplace like her mother had taught her, watching its ashes fly up the chimney. _'Maybe my wish will come true this year.'_

--

A few hours later, Katara awoke to the sound of tapping on wood. She sat up and inspected her surroundings, only to find that she had fallen asleep while entranced by the glow of the fire.

Suddenly, she heard the tapping again. But before she could react, her brother came storming down the stairs, muttering something about 'having to do all the work around here.'

"Sokka, who is it?" she asked groggily. '_Must be one of his friends again…'_

"Geez Katara, wait for me to get to the door won't you?"

He finally reached the door and unlocked it slowly. From her angle, Katara couldn't see much other than her brother asking someone to 'identify himself'.

"Hey sis!" came her brother's slightly annoying voice, snapping her out of her daze.

"This guy says he knows you. Get over here!"

She grumbled to herself as she got off the couch and walked towards the front door, only to be greeted by an unusual picture.

It was snowing heavily outside – everything was covered in a layer of ice, including their visitor. He looked about 17 years of age and was wrapped up in a heavy brown jacket. His head and shoulders were coated with snow.

He grinned boyishly. "Hey Katara. Been a while, hasn't it?"

Her expression was one of confusion. "Who…?" she managed to say before it hit her.

_Flashback_

"_You're leaving?!" she yelled in disbelief._

_He lowered his head. "I'm sorry. My dad got transferred and we have to move."_

"_What about me? What'll I do without my best friend?"_

"_You'll find other friends, I'm sure."_

"…_not like you…"_

_He pulled her into a hug, surprising both her and himself._

"_Don't worry, I'll come back someday. And when I do, I'll give you the biggest surprise of your life!"_

_She lifted her head from his shoulder and smiled at him._

"_I sure hope so." _

_End flashback_

Her eyes widened. "Aang…? Is…is that you?"

If it was possible, his grin grew wider. "Told you I'd surprise you."

All she could do was stand there and stare. It had been five years since she had last seen him and they had both been children back then. But now, he looked so different – 'older' was the only word she could process at the moment, but she could tell it was so much more. She couldn't ignore the way her heart suddenly began to flutter and before she knew it, she had thrown herself at him, sending him staggering a few feet backwards.

"I can't believe….it really is…you're…here…" she breathed into his shoulder.

He pulled away before smiling warmly. "It's good to see you again," he said gently.

"Wait, you actually _know_ this guy?" Sokka asked in disbelief.

Aang turned to him, a look of questioning upon his face. "Don't you remember me, Sokka? Y'know, that 'annoying' kid who used to come over everyday?"

Sokka waited for a while before exclaiming, "Oh yeah!" He gave the younger boy a friendly slap on the back, earning a slight wince from him.

"Good to see you again, buddy. Where've you been? All I know is one day Katara came home crying and said you'd left her. It sounded like her boyfriend had broken up with her or something."

He smirked in his sister's direction. She blushed furiously and glared at him, but he paid it no heed. Aang merely smiled at her, and she was sure she saw the traces of a blush on his face as well.

Once she had composed herself, Katara slipped her hand into Aang's.

"Come on in. We can't just leave you out in the cold!"

He laughed and followed the siblings into their home.

--

"So how are you guys? It's been a long time – you've both changed so much!"

"We're fine, I guess," Sokka replied nonchalantly.

"O-kay…" Aang hesitated before continuing. "So where's Gran-Gran?"

He noticed a change in their expressions - Katara simply stared into the fire, while Sokka looked down. He was the first to speak.

"Gran-Gran died a year after you left, Aang. She was pretty old…"

The boy gasped. He looked over at Katara. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes. He scooted closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean-"

"-no, no, it's okay." She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand and settled herself against his shoulder.

"She's gone, but I haven't lost everyone." She looked up at him and smiled. "You're still here, aren't you?"

He smiled and nodded.

Sokka piped up. "Hey Aang, you're not leaving, are you? I don't think Katara can handle it if you do."

Aang chuckled. "No, I'm not going anywhere. Not yet anyway,"

Katara sighed contentedly and snuggled closer. "I missed you…" she breathed.

"…I missed you too…"

--

Katara awoke once again, this time finding the room in total darkness.

'_I wonder what time it is…must be late…'_ she thought to herself. Then, she noticed the strange, yet comfortable warmth surrounding her. It was only then that she saw that Aang had fallen asleep next to her. He was holding her close in his sleep, _with both arms_, she noted with a blush. A blanket had been wrapped around them and a note was in one of her hands.

_Don't worry – I've explained it to Dad. As far as I can tell, this is probably the best Christmas present you could ever get. Sleep tight, little sis._

She smiled. '_Sokka can be an idiot sometimes, but he really does care.'_

"Thanks, big brother…" she whispered before falling asleep, a smile on her face.

* * *

_About Katara throwing her wishlist into the fire - I remember reading a few books mentioning it when I was a little kid! Never done it myself though! Ah, the good ol' days..._


	11. New Year

_I'm becoming quite a fan of italics - if you noticed, I put a lot of 'thought' into the last chapter. _

_Ha, a joke! That was funny._

_So I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year! And I'm sorry I couldn't make this more mushy, but I thought 'This would be more fun if I added humour to it' Though it's my first time writing something like this..._

_Oh, and_ _I'd like to credit my good friend KS for this idea. I tweak-ified it a little, though. Thanks buddy! :D_

_Disclaimer: Avatar is not mine._

* * *

#95 - New Year

Aang looked down at his list with a frown.

''_Things to do before the end of the year'_

_- Apologise to Sokka for 'borrowing' his new boomerang (and return it too)_

_- Get the recipe for Iroh's special blend of tea_

_- Wash Appa_

_- Propose to Katara'_

He sighed. The last phrase on his list had been written-over countless times until the paper threatened to tear.

'_This isn't gonna be easy…' _

--

"Hey Sokka…sorry about yesterday. Momo needed something to play with."

The warrior stared at him incredulously. It was only then that Aang realised what he has said.

"I mean…um…heh?"

Even after three years of knowing Sokka, Aang was positive that he had never been this scared of him before.

--

"…and you top it with a sprig of mint to add flavour. Do you have it written down?"

Iroh looked up from his cup of freshly brewed tea only to find that the Avatar had dozed off, head resting in a puddle of ink, quill in hand. The old man sighed and shook his shoulder gently.

Aang awoke with a jolt and dropped what was in his hand, realising where he was. He gratefully accepted the cloth offered by Iroh and mopped up the ink on his forehead.

Finally, he sat up and picked up his quill.

"Um…where were we?" he asked innocently.

Iroh sighed again upon noticing that the sheet of paper was completely blank.

--

'_Ugh…this was so much easier with Katara's help…'_

After managing to coax Appa into a nearby river, Aang found that washing him was actually the hard part. With a groan, he continued to scrub the bison's fur, unaware of Momo flying overhead with a bucket of water. Unfortunately, the overenthusiastic lemur's grip on the handle slackened at _just the right moment._

"AH! COLD!!"

--

"Katara, I need to ask you some…thing…"

He couldn't help but stare as she walked into the house. He noticed that her trip to the spa hadn't been in vain – her makeup only served to make her look even more beautiful. And her new dress wasn't exactly helping his cause.

"Yes, Aang?" she asked sweetly. He gulped.

'_Okay, a trip to the spa maybe, but a new OUTFIT?! Why does she always do this to me…'_

--

At the end of the day, Aang stared at his list once again. Everything had been neatly crossed out. Except the most important one, which he outlined with a circle.

He sighed again. "I guess it'll just have to wait…"

* * *

_I'm not too happy with this one, but aanyway._


	12. Parents

_I'm so sorry for not uploading anything! My exams were up and I couldn't write or even THINK about writing for two weeks DX _

_But on the positive side, I'm planning a new multichaptered story ^_^_

_ It'll be my second - my first wasn't so good and I ran out of ideas halfway through because I hadn't planned it out. So I'm playing it safe this time._

_Oh, and it'll be Kataang. Yay!_

_Getting back to this chapter, it isn't Kataang, sorry, but I did say there'd be 'other' drabbles too. This one is actually based off an idea my mom gave me. Thanks mom! :P_

_Disclaimer: *doesn't own Avatar*_

* * *

#27 - Parents

The war was finally over. All over the world, people were returning to their regular routines, including the people of the Fire Nation, where Fire Lord Zuko had made it his responsibility to return his nation to its former glory.

As for the rest of the gang, a 'family reunion' was already being planned, which would take place in the Earth Kingdom capital within three months. Before that, however, everyone had their own duties to take care of.

Sokka and Katara planned to return home and help rebuild, while Suki was to go back to Kyoshi Island. Aang would stay in the Fire Nation to assist Zuko (after all, it was quite messed up after Ozai's reign).

And as for Toph, she decided to return to her home. After all, her job was done, and she could prove to her parents that she was not, in fact, kidnapped.

Aang, Sokka and Katara accompanied her on the ride to Gaoling, occasionally offering a few words of advice and encouragement. Toph took them in despite knowing that they would do her no good. This was something she had to handle on her own.

---

After wishing her 'good luck', the trio set off again, leaving the earthbender alone outside her estate.

'_I don't really want to draw attention to myself,'_ she thought. _'Eh, I guess I'll sneak in. It's MY house anyway.'_

She created a tunnel under the wall and used it to get into the vast gardens. After listening for vibrations from any guards and not finding any, she quietly made her way into the mansion from one of the many side entrances.

Once inside, Toph continued to sneak around until she reached the entrance to the sitting room, where she froze.

Her parents were inside. And she could hear them talking.

She quickly covered herself in a layer of rock and stood against the wall. This acted as a good temporary camouflage and she could now hear her parents' voices better.

"…have you heard the news, dear? The war is now officially over! Isn't it wonderful?"

"It is, of course. Now maybe things will settle down in Gaoling. There has been much unrest lately."

A moment of silence. Toph strained her ears to see if they were whispering, but she heard nothing.

"…There were rumours – rumours of the Avatar going missing…"

Her father grunted, which she took as a sign that he still wasn't too happy about what had happened the last time he met the Avatar.

His wife continued, unnerved. "However, it seems he returned after all. They say he took away the Fire Lord's bending, rendering him powerless."

Lao remained silent. After a few more moments, he spoke.

"The Avatar seems to have gotten much more powerful since our last encounter." He drawled, although Toph detected a hint of awe in his tone. "Perhaps…I was wrong to banish him from my household…"

A smile formed on Toph's face. _I've never known you to regret anything,_ she thought to herself.

His wife piped up. "I wonder where our dear Toph is now. Probably still travelling with the Avatar and his little friends." Toph found it hard not to scoff at her mother's last statement.

The woman sighed. "I miss her, Lao. I know she is safe, wherever she is. She is strong, my little girl. I only wish she was here with us…"

"…I agree. I sincerely hope that, since this war is over, she will somehow find it in her heart to forgive us, and return home."

"Our lives have felt so empty without her…"

The earthbender couldn't believe what she was hearing. Could this be her two annoying, overprotective parents? The same parents who forbade her from doing anything she found fun?!

_They actually care about me; they want me back…_

She shed her earth camouflage and stepped into the next room, causing her parents to cry out in surprise. She raised her hand in greeting.

"Hey all," she waved her hand once, grinning sheepishly. "Miss me?"

All she heard were two dull thuds before feeling a new set of vibrations on the floor.

Her parents had fainted.


	13. Why?

_Once again, I haven't updated at all in AGES. And this time it was because of lack of time and inspiration. _

_Butwait. I haven't lost interest in Avatar. So where did this lack of inspiration come from?_

_Well, honestly, I've had SO many ideas that it was just impossible to think of just one. So don't blame me - blame my hyperactive mind :P_

_Anyway, here's my next update. Again, I'm a little 'bleh' about this one, since it's been done so many times, it's short and I just don't like it. I guess I'm just in a hurry to get these 'question mark' themes over with XD_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar._

* * *

#80 - Why?

Katara pulled back in shock. She stared at the boy in front of her, unable to say anything as he watched her, sadness hidden within his eyes.

"…you just…what was…why?" she managed to stammer out after a few minutes.

He sighed. "I love you, Katara."

Her eyes widened. "No…no, you can't…"she murmured.

"But I do," he replied sadly. "I've loved you for so long now. I realized when we visited Aunt Wu's village and I've kept it to myself since then. But now…" he trailed off.

He looked up at her. She was still staring at him, mouth slightly open, unable to say anything.

"I thought you knew," he added. "That day, on the subs. I _kissed_ you."

More silence.

Aang sighed again. He knew that this wasn't getting them anywhere. After all, he was the only one saying anything, while she just stood there.

"Its okay – I understand. I mean, why would you love me, right?" He let out a weak laugh before turning away so she could not see the tears in his eyes that were threatening to fall.

Suddenly, she grabbed his arm, causing him to turn back. Tears were glistening in her eyes as well.

"I do love you, Aang," she said softly. "It-it's just…I'm scared."

"What are you scared of?" he asked gently.

"I'm scared…of getting too attached to you!" she cried. "What if you die during your battle? I'll never be the same if that happens!"

"I won't die Katara. I'll never leave you."

"…promise?"

"I promise."

They smiled at each other before Aang started to lean in. However, she put up her hand to stop him.

"Wait," she said simply. "There's still a chance that I could lose you. You-you can't…"

He started to say something, but she shook her head.

Once again, a frown made its way onto his face. He was about to turn away again, but she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Tomorrow. Once you win, and when you come back." _'It's better that way,_' she added to herself.

He waited before smiling, a genuine smile. "So it's a date?" he asked, a smirk evident in his tone. Katara blushed, but smiled nonetheless.

"_I guess it is." _

* * *

_Whoa. WHOA. I've reached 45 REVIEWS?! My gosh, I feel so LOVED! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I LOVE YOU ALL :3_


	14. Yellow

_Happy (belated) Valentine's Day to everyone! I hope you had a fluffy weekend :3_

_So this one took a while to write, since I came up with the idea barely three days prior to V-Day and I didn't have much time to write it up. I don't really like the flow of this chapter, and it took me ages to come up with the last line, but go ahead and read anyway =D_

_Disclaimer - I do not own Avatar (or the quote at the beginning)_

_

* * *

_

#13 - Yellow

_"The bright, sunny colour of yellow roses evokes a feeling of warmth and happiness. The warm feelings associated with the yellow rose are often akin to those shared with a true friend. As such, the yellow rose is an ideal symbol for joy and friendship."_

---

Katara loved flowers. This had always been the case, even when she was little. She loved their smell, their colour and the joy they brought her.

It came as no surprise to anyone when she declared that Valentine's Day was her favourite holiday.

As soon as she awoke, Katara knew that it was going to be a great day. This feeling was further enforced when she found a pink rose waiting for her at breakfast, no doubt from her father and brother. They knew about her love of flowers, and a pink rose was not as romantically inclined as a red one. She sighed in contentment and inhaled deeply as its sweet scent reached her.

'_I wonder how many roses I'll get today…'_

---

As it turned out, she received three others. Upon reaching school she saw that the hallways were decorated with streamers and there were small booths selling roses to send to 'your soul mate'. In her school, giving a rose to someone was the equivalent to 'asking them out'.

The first rose she received was from Zuko. They had been friends for quite a long time. But, since they only sold red roses in school, he made sure to specify that it was only friendly. Katara appreciated the gesture, and felt slightly more reassured in his statement when she saw him present an entire bouquet to his girlfriend, Mai.

She got her second and third from Haru and Jet respectively. She kept the flowers, but turned them down (the former more politely than the latter). After all, she didn't want them to get any ideas.

Many other students wondered why she rejected them – they were both quite popular and had plenty of fangirls swooning over them.

But she didn't want popularity. And besides, she was waiting for someone else.

She was waiting for her best friend.

---

Katara ran into Aang just after third period. She noticed that he had something hidden behind his back.

"Hey Katara!" he greeted her enthusiastically. "I've got something for you."

He handed it to her and she gasped, taking in every detail as she stared at it.

"It's…it's-"

"-a yellow rose," he finished for her. "For friendship."

She fingered the pale petals carefully.

"They…they don't sell these in school…" she noted.

He blushed. "Yeah…about that. I didn't get it from school – I grew it myself."

Her eyes widened. "You grew it, for me?"

"Of course!" he exclaimed, visibly surprised. "You're my best friend! I had to make it special!"

She lowered her head to stare at her feet, a faint blush on her cheeks.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "This means so much…no one has ever done something like this for me before."

"Consider this a first then," he said with a smirk. She raised her eyes to meet his and giggled at his expression. They stayed like that for a while, eyes locked.

"Um, I should get going," she stated after a few seconds. "I'll be late for class."

"Oh, okay then," he said, slightly disappointed. "Happy Valentine's Day…"

Before he could react, she hugged him tightly, causing him to freeze on the spot. All too soon, she pulled away.

"And the same to you, Aang," she replied softly, smiling, before walking away, rose and books in hand.

---

The bell rang, signalling the end of Chemistry class. Katara rushed to her locker to get her English books out. However, upon opening it, she received a huge surprise.

A beautiful red rose was seated on top of her books. Along with it was a note.

_I thought I'd get this to you in private – it would be a little embarrassing if everyone saw it. Happy Valentine's Day, Katara. Love, Aang._

_P.S. Just so you know, I grew this one myself too. And…Friday at eight?_

It took her a while to understand what the last sentence meant, but once she did, a grin spread across her face.

Aang soon got his answer.


	15. Birthday

_Yes, once again, it's been a while. And over 50 reviews?! I love you all :3_

_So, in case any of you awesome authors out there haven't heard, KATAANG WEEK II is coming up! (but I'm pretty sure any hardcore Kataangers must know already)_

_So, get out your writing stuff and word processors or whatever, and LET US WRITE! :D_

_Now on to the chapter :P_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar._

* * *

#91 - Birthday

Aang groaned as the morning sunlight streamed in through the window. He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes, adjusting to the brightness around him. Once he was comfortable, he stepped out of his bed and smiled.

Today was his sixteenth birthday. It was a day he had been anticipating for a long time.

_Today's gonna be a great day,_ he thought to himself as he walked out of the room.

---

The gang had stopped to rest at their house in Ba Sing Se for a little while before hitting the road again. It was a large house, so it could accommodate the seven of them.

Katara and Suki were already up, preparing breakfast. As soon as she saw Aang enter the room, Katara smiled and walked over to him.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," she said before kissing her boyfriend on the cheek. He wrapped his arm around her.

"Hey. Did you sleep well?"

She nodded. Suki rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway as she set their breakfast on their table.

"Sokka's still asleep," she began. "I didn't have the heart to wake him. Mai and Zuko went out shopping. Oh, and Toph went over to the Jasmine Dragon. Probably to get away from everyone else." They all chuckled softly.

Aang sat down, fiddling with his cup of tea, before speaking.

"So, is there anything, well, I don't know...special about today?" he asked innocently.

"Katara thought for a few moments. "No, I don't think so…do you know about anything Suki?" The older girl shook her head.

"Why Aang? Do you have something planned?"

He paused for a while, anticipating a sudden reaction, but after not receiving one, he returned his gaze to his cup of tea.

"Oh, nothing. I was just asking," he murmured, but not without a hint of sadness in his voice.

_How could they forget my birthday? Ah, it doesn't matter. I'm sure they're just kidding around. Of course they remember!_

But no matter how hard he tried to get rid of the thought, a nagging doubt still remained.

---

"Sokka…" The warrior grunted into his pillow.

"Sokka?" Still no response.

"SOKKA!" He awoke with a jolt, only to see Aang standing by his bed.

"Ugh…Aang, what are you doing here?" he groaned.

"I wanted to know if there's anything you've got planned for today!"

Sokka groaned again. "If that's what this is all about, then no, I haven't planned anything. Now, if you don't mind, I'll be going back to bed."

He collapsed on the bed and fell asleep instantly, mumbling something about his 'beauty sleep'. Unfortunately, he was too tired to see the defeated look on Aang's face as he dragged himself out of the room and into his own.

---

_How could they forget? I thought they were my friends…_

_Maybe they hate me for some reason, no wait – that can't be it!  
_

_They must've been too busy to plan anything, that's all._

_Or…what if they don't care…?_

_What if they never cared…?_

---

Hours later, a knock was heard on Aang's door.

"Aang? Are you in there?"

The Avatar pushed himself off the bed and into a sitting position. _It's Katara! Of course she remembered – SHE wouldn't forget my __birthday!_

He ran to the door and opened it to see a worried looking Katara holding a tray of food.

"Where have you been all day? You missed lunch!"

His eyes narrowed. _Lunch? Is that what this is about?!_

She noticed his expression. "Aang? Is…is something wrong?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm fine. I was just thinking. That's all. Sorry to worry you."

He turned around and made to go back into his room, but she grabbed his wrist and turned him around to face her.

"Um…wait! There's something I have to show you."

He sighed. "What is it, Katara?" he asked with a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"It's important. Come with me."

Aang allowed himself to be pulled down the corridor and into the front room, muttering all the way.

"This better be worth the…huh?!"

Sokka, Suki, Toph and Mai were standing around a small table, while Zuko used his firebending to light the candles on the beautiful cake placed on it. Iroh stood by, preparing his Tsungi horn.

"You…you did this all…for me?" Aang managed to stutter.

"Sure we did!" exclaimed Toph. "You're our friend, aren't you? Not to mention the Avatar."

"I..!" He turned to Katara, who was watching him, smiling. "I thought you had forgotten..."

"I could never forget your birthday Aang," she said gently, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. He grinned.

"Alright, let's get this over with – cut the cake already." Mai drawled. Aang obliged and they all cheered as he cut it, smiles evident in their voices as they sang along with Iroh's music.

For the first time since the war was over, Aang knew he had never been happier in his whole life.

* * *

_*cough* I seem to find that ending very abrupt... _


	16. Thunder

_Kataang Week (2) is next week and I haven't written a word yet! I'd better get to work!_

_But before I started anything, I wanted to upload this. This (extremely short) chapter is dedicated to Li'l Matthew (actually a girl :P) who told me a similar story in the middle of class with no idea that I would actually use it! Thanks Matthew! XD_

_And you! Writers! Get to work on your KW2 prompts! And if you're not going to do it...well, I'm just going to have to find some way to force you guys into it, huh? :)_

_*cough* takes place before epilogue kiss *cough*_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar._

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#69 - Thunder

It was a beautiful, starry night in Ba Sing Se. Most of the city was already asleep. Aang and Katara decided to take advantage of this and go for a midnight stroll. It was the first time they had been alone in a while, and Aang didn't want to waste this opportunity. So he made a decision.

He was going to tell her.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it Aang?" Katara asked casually as she looked up at the sky. Each star twinkled brightly, but the moon proved to be much brighter, casting its glow over the green and gold roofs.

"It is," he replied as he paused to look up as well. "It's the perfect night for a walk. And I'm glad you could join me, Katara," he added, turning to look at her. She smiled and his face lit up.

'_Her smile could outshine the stars and the moon combined,'_ he mused silently. _'But if I ever told her that, she'd probably find it corny…'_

As he thought to himself, his hand was unconsciously inching closer to hers. Only after hearing a soft gap from her did he notice that he had grabbed her hand without realising it. Blushing furiously, he tried to withdraw his hand, but she tightened her grip and smiled at him once again. He grinned sheepishly and blushed even more.

Their walk eventually led them to a large tree atop a hill overlooking the city. They rested under it for a while, just enjoying each others' presence. Aang gulped. Now was the time to say it.

"Uh, Katara?" he began hesitantly.

There was a sudden gust of wind as she turned to face him. Her hair flowed out along with it. "Yes?" she asked sweetly. He gulped again.

"There's something I have to-"

All of a sudden, it began to rain. Katara gasped as she watched the tiny droplets fall to the ground. Lightning lit up the sky.

'_That's strange,'_ thought Aang. _'It wasn't raining a moment ago. And the skies were completely clear!'_

"What were you saying?" she managed to yell over the sounds of the storm.

"I wanted to say that I-"

A peal of thunder sounded just as he said the words "-love you", drowning them out completely.

"What was that?" Katara shouted again.

"I said that I-"

Another crash of thunder. Seems the elements were against him tonight.

He groaned. "At this rate I'll never get to tell her…" he mumbled.

"Tell me what, Aang?" He jumped at the sound of her voice. She had moved closer to him in order to understand what he was saying.

"That I…" he paused, waiting for the thunder to cut him off again.

It didn't.

"That I…" No thunder interrupted him this time. He sighed.

"That I love you," he breathed as he looked down. Now it was Katara's turn to go red.

"I…" she whispered, more to herself. Aang didn't look up. Suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulder. He turned to see that she had settled her head against him. He blushed (they had been doing that a lot, hadn't they?) and leaned closer.

"I love you too…" she whispered as she took his hand and laced her fingers with his. He smiled and looked up at the clouds as the moon began to peek through them once more.


	17. Storm

_I live in a desert. And it's raining. O_o_

_Rain in the desert - who would've thought, huh? But when it rains, it pours. And hails too, apparently. In fact, it's the closest to snow we've ever gotten! Anyway, this is a tribute to the lovely thunderstorms going on where I live. I'm sure my friends can relate ;)_

_Coincidentally, the previous chapter was also about a storm. Seems I have water on the brain :P_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar._

* * *

#70 - Storm

There had been signs of a storm when the group had set out for a tropical island in the morning, but they had ignored it in favour of having a good time at the beach. Now that the war was finally over, they had been looking forward to enjoying themselves in the sun.

But the storm poured water all over their plans. Literally.

If the slight drizzle hadn't been the first sign, the lightning sure had. Aang was just barely able to steer Appa near a small cave before the actual downpour began. Soaked and with dampened spirits, they had all dragged themselves into the shelter just in time. Aang and Toph had managed to seal the entrance with a large boulder, protecting them all from the howling winds.

And now, here they were – trapped in a cave, waiting for the dark clouds to blow over.

"Boy, am I bushed!" exclaimed Toph as she walked over to where the others were seated, huddled around a campfire in order to share heat. Even Appa and Momo had curled up next to them, seeking warmth.

"Tell me about it," replied Sokka with a groan. "And now all our plans are ruined! I was hoping to build some more sand sculptures…"

"Aww, it's okay Sokka," Suki cooed, attempting to comfort her boyfriend. "At least we're all together. And we can have fun here too!"

"How exactly are we supposed to do that?"

"Um…I hadn't thought that far ahead yet…"

After this, silence filled the cave. The only sounds to be heard were those of the typhoon raging outside – the gentle patter of rain and the cracks of thunder.

"Y'know…" Sokka stated after a while. "This kinda reminds me of the Cave of Two Lovers. Aang, Katara and I were trapped in there once."

Almost instantly, all attention was turned to him. He began to tell the story of how he escaped, earning a few gasps every now and then when he mentioned wolf-bats and badgermoles.

"…and that's how I got out. Though I never really found out how those two found their way out." He jerked his thumb in the direction of the two other teens. All of a sudden, they paled - Sokka couldn't tell if it was from the heat, or something else.

"Our story wasn't very exciting," said Katara quickly. This statement, however, was shunned by everyone else – they were sure it was every bit as exciting as Sokka's.

"Okay, fine – I'll tell you," said Aang simply once the noise had died down. Katara stared at him, a look of horror evident on her face, but he merely smiled at her.

"We almost got crushed, then we walked a lot and came across a tomb, then we walked some more and saw a giant carving of the two lovers, then we walked even more" – this earned another groan from Sokka – "and then…we…um…put the torch out. And then some crystals on the ceiling lit up and we followed them to the exit. Then some badgermoles popped out from the walls and Sokka was with them. Happy?"

He looked around. Everyone was staring at him, except Mai, who was examining her nails, and Toph, who had an all-knowing smirk on her face. To his surprise, however, she didn't comment.

"That was…pretty exciting," Zuko commented, once the shock had died down. Murmurs of agreement echoed throughout the cave.

"_I'll_ say," Toph stated smugly. Aang glanced at Katara out of the corner of his eye and noticed that she was blushing. He couldn't help but blush as well.

---

As time passed and the storm showed no signs of relenting, the members of the gang slowly began to succumb to sleep. Mai and Zuko lay curled up against one of Appa's legs as the bison slumbered on. Sokka and Suki were slumped against the wall, wrapped in a blanket. The only ones still up were Toph, Aang and Katara.

"So you guys," Toph finally asked. "I noticed some hesitation on Aang's part when he was telling your story."

"And in case you think I didn't notice, your heart rate increased too, Twinkletoes," she added.

The two smiled blushingly, acknowledging her observation. Toph felt this and grinned.

"What exactly did you leave out? You can tell me – every one else's asleep."

"Well, we sorta, uh, kissed," replied Katara, softly.

"SERIOUSLY?!" Toph exclaimed loudly. The other two blushed even harder as they attempted to calm her down. Miraculously, no one woke up.

"Yes, really," whispered Katara.

"Okay, um…great," Toph said, trying to hide her excitement at the fact that those two had _actually_ gotten somewhere.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Toph let out a huge yawn and said that she would retire for the night. Without waiting for a response, she walked over to a relatively dryer, empty space, before erecting one of her famous 'earth tents' and collapsing on the spot. Aang grimaced as he heard the beginning of what would become loud and terrible snores. He erected two slabs of earth on both uncovered sides with a flick of his wrist, preventing any more noise from escaping. Katara merely laughed before leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Are you cold?" Aang asked her after a while. She shook her head. Regardless, he unfolded a blanket he had kept nearby and wrapped it around both of them.

"Better?" he asked, smiling.

"Much." She looked at him, mirroring his expression. They stared at each other for a few moments before Aang cleared his throat and looked away.

"Do you ever regret that we kissed in the cave?" she asked softly.

"No." he replied instantly. "…do you?"

She chuckled softly. 'Of course not. If we hadn't, I would never have realised how I really felt about you."

"Well then, I'm glad we did." They laughed in unison for a few minutes and Katara returned her gaze to the fire.

Aang let out a huge yawn. She looked at him.

"Sleepy?" He nodded. "Go rest then. You've had a long day."

"So have you." he responded softly. "Either way, I'd much rather stay up with you."

"Really?"

"Really."

"That's nice…"she murmured before yawning and bringing her head to rest on his shoulder again. Her eyes began to close and before they knew it, they were both fast asleep.

A few feet away, Toph smiled.

---

Eventually, the rain stopped and the fire burned until it was nothing more than a pile of ash, but the smiles on Aang's and Katara's faces never faded.

At least not until morning - that's when Sokka found them.


	18. Friends

_Well, I finally wrote a chapter that isn't just Kataang - in fact, there's a little Tokka friendship bonding too :)_

_'kay, so my exams aren't all over yet, but I thought I'd post this so I'd feel like writing some more once they are. I'll work on the next chapter of Spirits Revisited too, I've been neglecting it!_

_The chars may seem OOC in this fic, but I guess that's what happens when you get older, eh? XP_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar._

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#21 - Friends

It was that time of year again – the 'family' reunion. And, as always, Sokka found himself drifting further away from the festivities and into seclusion.

It was not that he didn't want to be the centre of attention – no, it _certainly_ wasn't that.

"As you get older," he would tell his friends when asked about his strange new behaviour, "you learn that one of the true pleasures of life is to sit on a balcony, sipping tea, watching the clouds go by. There's nothing like it."

Eventually, they remembered that it was Sokka who was saying these words. But by this time, he would have already walked off, and they wouldn't be bothered to go look for him again.

Which is why, after two years, he found himself in the same position yet again; seated on the balcony all alone, staring out at Ba Sing Se.

But this time, he wasn't staring at the great city. Instead, his attention was captured by two young teenagers running around nearby.

Sokka watched his sister as she tried to evade the boy chasing her. Running around the fountain – the centrepiece of the vast courtyard – she didn't notice her opponent coming towards her in the opposite direction. All she could do was let out a squeal before the Avatar grabbed her from behind, the force sending them toppling into the fountain.

He rolled his eyes when the two emerged, laughing and soaking wet. Only then did he feel a presence behind him.

"Hey Sokka," said Toph as she walked out onto the balcony. "Mind if I join you?"

The warrior turned and raised an eyebrow, noting her usage of his real name, but shrugged nonetheless. "Sure, why not."

Toph settled herself on the railing and turned towards the doorway, ensuring that her feet were still in contact with the ground.

"Those two really are something, aren't they?"

He turned his head to face her. She merely jerked her thumb towards the scene behind her, where a very wet Aang was attempting to help his girlfriend out of the water. He ended up failing miserably and she merely fell on top of him again.

Sokka watched silently, and then spoke. "I guess they are," he replied, dryly.

It was Toph's turn to look at him with her unseeing eyes. "You don't _sound_ very happy about it," she stated. "Don't you trust them?"

"I do! I do…it's just…" he trailed off, looking for a suitable response. "It's not them I don't trust. It's their friendship."

She raised an eyebrow. "I don't get you these days, Snoozles. First you go off all alone during every reunion, and now you're talking in riddles?"

He shook his head, smiling faintly. "It's just…how do I explain: when two people are best friends, they're nothing more, right?"

"Right."

"So, if somehow those two hook up, does it mean they're not best friends anymore?"

Toph opened her mouth and shut it again, finding herself without an answer. He continued.

"I don't think they're going to lose their friendship, Toph. They'll always be friends. I'm just worried that maybe over time, it might…fade."

"Hey, if I know those two, they're as happy as clams as long as they're together. Take that away and they're both miserable."

She smiled. "Friendship doesn't fade, Sokka. If anything, it only gets stronger over time."

"…you've been talking to Iroh, haven't you?"

"…pretty much…"

As it grew darker, Katara and Aang seated themselves on a bench and leaned against each other, watching the sunset. A short distance away, Sokka watched this scene unfold with a sigh. He turned towards his blind companion.

"We'll always be friends, right Toph?"

"Um…yeah, sure. Just as long as you don't try all that mushy stuff on me."

"I'll keep that in mind." he replied, smiling.


	19. Taste

__

I'm not taking part in Kataang AU Week, since I'm already extremely late, but I was inspired by the theme 'Ice Cream'. So I wrote this oneshot and decided to post it in '100 Themes' because I could :P

_Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar._

* * *

#39 - Taste

The sweet scent of vanilla greeted the two teenagers as they entered the shop. The boy rushed to the counter eagerly, while the girl followed, much less enthusiastic.

"I still don't get why you're so excited Aang – you've eaten ice cream from all over the country!"

"I know, but I've heard so much about this place! I wanted to try it for myself!"

Katara rolled her eyes. "It can't be _that_ different from all the other stuff you've tried."

"Hey, I can't help it if I'm an ice cream connoisseur!" he retorted, grinning. "Besides, if it's so popular, it _must_ be good!"

He handed a bill to the man at the counter and said, "One chocolate, please." As he accepted the medium-sized cone, he noticed Katara eyeing it with disgust.

"Eww, chocolate…" she stated. Aang gaped at her, unable to believe what he had just heard.

"You don't like chocolate?!"

"Actually, I've never tried it…" This statement only served to increase the astonishment on his face.

"Well," he said, after a short pause. "Let's change that."

Her response was quick. "No."

"Oh come on, Katara, you know I'd never let you try something that tasted bad!" He took a bite out of his ice cream to prove it. "Mmm, this is amazing! Probably some of the best I've ever had!"

She continued to watch him, still unsure.

"See? It's perfectly alright. Now try some." He held out the cone expectantly. To his surprise, however, she turned red.

"Is…something wrong?" he asked.

"It's just…that's _your_ cone…"

"So? I don't mind."

"But you've already had some of it…"

"That's okay," he replied, obviously not getting the point.

Katara sighed in defeat. "Alright, I'll try it."

She leaned forward and slowly took a bite. Almost instantly, her mouth was flooded with a bitter coldness. She flinched, before her expression melted into that of purest ecstasy. She let the ice cream melt in her mouth before swallowing, then turned to Aang, who was watching, eager to know what her reaction would be.

"That was…good!" she exclaimed after a few moments. "It's just like real chocolate, but it's cold!"

Aang laughed. "Of course! What did you expect it to taste like?"

She appeared to be lost in thought for a moment, but then she shook her head, smiling. "Never mind, let's just go.

He grinned back. "Alright."

And as they left the shop, Katara softly whispered the answer to his question so that only she could hear.

'_You.'_

* * *

_Random much? XD_

_I feel like I used a different style while writing this...it's not awesome, but not too bad either..._


	20. Rainbow

_Ohwow, I haven't updated in AGES, have I? School's been a pain and, to tell you the truth, I've been a little low on inspiration...but don't worry! I'm not abandoning anything xD_

_This one is a little...I dunno, choppy I guess. Probably because I wrote half of it before taking a huge break and just finished the rest recently. Also, it moves a little too fast for my liking and the ending is weird...I could go on, but I won't bore you - see for yourself :P_

_Disclaimer: I still don't own Avatar _

* * *

#96 - Rainbow

_A long time ago, a young man fell in love with a woman. Unlike most tragic love stories, however, their love was accepted, and they were married. They lived a peaceful life, until one day, the woman disappeared. _

_The man travelled all over the world, searching for his wife, but he never found her. After many years, he stopped upon the peak of a mountain. The clouds were thick and rain was pouring down upon the world. Everything was dark. But he did not despair. He shouted a plea to the spirits, asking them to bring her back._

_Almost immediately, the rain stopped. The clouds parted, revealing a brilliant stream of colour that seemed to go on for miles. With hope shining in his eyes, the man mounted his ostrich-horse and began to follow the beam. He endured days of travel across harsh landscapes, but somehow, the endless spectrum never faded, and neither did his determination. _

_He found her at the end of the beam, seated among flowers in a meadow and glowing with the light around her. They embraced and he thanked the spirits for bringing her back to him._

---

"_It is said that, when two lovers are reunited, a rainbow will form, bringing good fortune to them and all around them. _

---

Centuries later, the Avatar found his true love in a young water tribe girl – the very girl that rescued him. However, his duties kept them apart, and he longed for the day he would see her again.

_After a year…_

A reunion was organised to once again reunite the heroes who had ended the war. They planned to meet on Ember Island, the place where most of their crucial plans had been made.

It was here that an important conversation was taking place.

"Where is she?" the boy asked firmly.

"I'm sorry Aang," replied his older friend. "She, um, couldn't make it."

"You're lying. She has to be here! I know it."

"Well, actually…" Sokka didn't get to finish – without waiting for a response, the Avatar walked out onto the terrace.

'_Where could she be…?' _he thought to himself.

Almost as if on cue, a colourful ray of light burst through the thin layer of clouds in the sky. It shone down on one particular spot, not very far off.

He started. "What is that?" he exclaimed.

Acting on instinct, he began to run towards the beam, using his airbending to increase his speed. As he neared it, he noticed the sudden abundance of plant life.

And upon reaching the spot, his eyes widened.

The ray of light illuminated a small garden he had never noticed before. Colourful flowers bloomed everywhere and large trees protected the area from harsh sunlight. And in the midst of this beauty, he found Katara, seated on a rock and staring at him, equally bewildered.

"Aang…?"

"Katara! What are you doing here?"

The girl laughed softly. "I should be asking you the same question," she replied. "How did you find me?"

"That beam of light; the rainbow," he stated, indicating the sky, where the coloured beam was slowly fading.

"Wow…it's beautiful," she murmured, too entranced by its beauty to notice that the young airbender had moved closer.

"You didn't answer my question, Katara. Why are you here?"

She sighed. "I dunno, I guess I just wanted to relax. That, and I was a little scared."

"Scared? Of what?"

"Of seeing you again. I was afraid that all those meetings might have changed your mind and that you didn't like me anymore…"

Aang was shocked. "Why would you think that?" he asked softly, sitting down beside her. "I love you. Didn't I tell you that?"

She nodded, smiling. "Maybe I was just being paranoid."

He chuckled. "It isn't your fault - sometimes I think that too."

"Really?"

"Yeah! I wonder how someone as perfect as you could love a goofy kid like me! And being away from you for so long doesn't help either."

Katara smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her.

"I love you, Aang. You know that, right?"

He grinned. "Of course. And I love you too."

And together, they watched as a rainbow formed above them, stretching for miles and bringing life to the skies.

* * *

_Just thought I'd mention; this is one of those 'author's choice' themes. That, and the story at the beginning was completely my idea. Any resemblance to actual myths is purely coincidental (:_


	21. School

_Again, it's been AGES. I haven't written anything Avatar related lately, and the guilt is KILLING me. But this is a theme I did a long time ago, so I thought I'd upload it, rather than let it rot on my computer xD_

_This is also the closest thing to a songfic I've ever written. And it's an AU :l_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar._

* * *

#88 - School

"Hey, newbie, you know that kid you were talking to yesterday?"

Katara sighed. She had just been enrolled in a new school and so far, they didn't seem to take to new students. But yesterday, as she sat alone in the courtyard, a boy about her age had come up to her and spoken with her for a while. The simple conversation had made her feel more welcome. He had offered to show her around the school today, so she was headed towards the cafeteria to meet him. Now, she turned to the girl walking beside her.

"Yeah, what about him?"

"He's no good, Katara, that's what. All that talk he gave you yesterday about 'being your friend' and 'showing you around', it's just a lie. All he's gonna do is lead you to some deserted corner of the campus and leave you there all alone."

"What?" she gasped. This couldn't be happening. The only person who seemed to want to be her friend, had_ lied_ to her?

"It's true," the other girl replied. "It's happened before. He does it to all the newbies – tells them he'll show them around, then leads them into a closet and leaves them wondering how to get out."

Katara clenched her fists. _'That no good liar! I'll teach him a thing or two about messing with ME.'_

The cafeteria doors burst open as a young woman stalked in, clearly annoyed. She stormed over to a table where a boy was seated alone, eating a sandwich. Noticing her entrance, he stood up.

"Hey! Katara! Are you ready for your…tour…" he trailed off, noticing her expression.

"You…you lied to me!" she yelled in his face. He flinched and glanced around for a moment, then faced her again.

"What? I didn't lie to you-"

"-DON'T GIVE ME THAT!" she screamed again, much louder than before. "Lei told me everything. You just want to ABANDON me somewhere to fend for myself, don't you? DON'T YOU?"

"Katara, it's not like that, I'm telling yo-"

"-NO. I'm telling YOU. You're a liar and a cheat! I don't ever want you to come near me again! EVER!" And with that, she turned around and stomped out of the room, missing the defeated look on his face as she closed the door and leaned against it. Unconsciously, listening, she heard voices coming from inside.

"Another one bites the dust!"

"Give up, Aang, it'll never work."

"You can _never_ warm up to _anyone_."

'Yeah, you'll _always_ be alone."

As Katara took her seat in English class, she was still angry. Imagine her horror when Aang, the very object of her temper, took the desk next to her and sat down. She flared.

'_Why does he have to come bother me now too?' _she thought miserably. Nevertheless, she stayed silent and moved her desk away a few inches.

Halfway through the first period, she decided to confront him.

Grabbing a piece of paper and a pencil, she scribbled a note.

'_How can you live with yourself?'_

Still fuming, her anger increasing as she re-read what she had just written, she decided to get rid of it as soon as possible. When the teacher turned her back, she inconspicuously tossed the object in Aang's direction and looked away, still sulking.

Her ears picked up the sound of a piece of paper being unfolded and a sharp intake of breath before a soft sigh. She ignored her curiosity and did not turn around. The minutes ticked by and she began to wonder if he would ever reply. 20 minutes later, she felt another piece of paper land on her desk.

At this point, she turned. Aang was writing in his notebook casually, as if nothing had happened. Now curious, she unfolded the piece of paper.

On top of a large black smudge (which Katara assumed had been previous words that were erased) there was a single sentence.

'_I'm used to it.'_

Katara seethed. _'How can he be so…so…conceited? That self-absorbed jerk!' _These thoughts ran through her head as she pored over the note angrily, until she noticed something.

There was another stain, next to the writing. It didn't seem to have been made by an eraser, but rather a drop of water.

Or possibly, a tear.

Confused, Katara glanced in his direction, watching him carefully. He seemed to be ignoring her as he continued to write, but eventually, feeling her gaze, he looked up and gave her a watery smile.

At that instant, she knew something was wrong.

Before she could do anything about it, however, the bell rang. Almost at the speed of light, Aang shoved his books in his bag, slung it over his shoulder and walked out of the class, leaving a very perplexed Katara behind.

She wandered the deserted hallways in search of his room. Many classmates had snickered when she had asked them where it was, but still told her. She realised the wing of the dorms that he stayed in was relatively empty, compared to the other areas. And as she neared his room, she heard music.

The door was slightly ajar. Katara didn't dare enter, but even if she had wanted to, it would have been impossible – she was immobilized by the beautiful sounds coming from Aang's room. She peeked inside just far enough to see him playing an instrument that looked like a saxophone. And her eyes widened when she recognised the song he was playing. The words ran through her head like a chant, echoing along with the haunting melody…

_I walk a lonely road  
The only one that I have ever known  
Don't know where it goes  
But it's home to me, and I walk alone_

_My shadow's the only one that walks beside me  
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating  
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me  
'Til then I walk alone_

'_It's beautiful…'_ she thought, as tears leaked out of her eyes. He continued to play and she continued to listen until the music faded away and eventually stopped. At this point she was sobbing softly and Aang heard her outside the door. He placed his instrument on the bed and walked towards it. What he found surprised him.

"Katara?" he asked gently. "What are you doing here?"

She looked up at him, eyes swollen from crying.

"That song you were playing…I recognised it…" she whispered.

"You did?"

"Yeah…those lyrics are so…you…why…" she stammered, unsure of how to explain. He silenced her by raising a hand, and smiled, showing that he understood.

"You came to ask me about the note, didn't you?" She nodded.

Aang sighed. "I don't have a family, Katara. I'm an orphan. I enrolled in this school a few years back and, since I didn't have any money, I had to work for my stay and tuition. I still do, in fact."

"I was not treated very well, as you might have seen too. That's why, once I completed a year, I vowed to try and make life comfortable for any other new students. Unfortunately, no-one else approved. They've shot down every attempt of mine to make friends. That's why I don't have any, and why I stay alone."

He paused, watching her. Tears were glistening in her eyes. He let out a slow breath.

"That song symbolises me – it's who I am. And that is one thing no-one can ever take away from me." He concluded with his eyes downcast.

"Aang, I'm…I'm sorry…and I was so horrible to you!" she exclaimed.

He smiled weakly. "It's alright. Like I said, I'm used to it."

She shook her head. "No, still, I need to make it up to you somehow."

"Alright then," he stated after a moment. 'How 'bout we start over with a clean slate? Friends?" He extended his arm, a small hopeful smile on his face.

She looked from his hand to his eyes. They were shining with truth and acceptance. She smiled.

"Friends."


End file.
